Embroidery is defined as “the art or handicraft of creating designs in fabric by stitching them in with strands of thread or yarn by using a needle.” It can also incorporate other materials used to make clothing such as sequins, beads and pearls. While traditional hand embroidery has been around for thousands of years, the newest kind, called ‘machine embroidery’, has existed only for about 200 years and owes its existence to the advent of the hand-embroidery machine, created by Josue Heilmann of Mulhouse, France in 1828, a full 18 years before the first sewing machine was patented in 1846 by Isaac Singer.
Josue Heilmann invented the hand-embroidery machine, developing machinery that could utilize up to 4 hand-embroiderers. The machine helped workers embroider fabrics at a faster pace than could be previously completed by hand. The machine posed a serious threat to the hand-embroidery industry at the time; in fact, it was viewed as so much of a threat to the hand-embroiderers that Heilmann would eventually only sell two of his machines in Switzerland. But a revolution in embroidery had begun, and other inventors would soon follow.
A new kind of embroidery machine was created in 1863 by Isaac Groebli in Switzerland. It was called the Schiffli machine, so named because of the small boat-shaped shuttle that produced the backing stitch. It was not available for commercial use for years; however, by the time the kinks were worked out, it could stitch in any direction. Groebli’s oldest son went on to invent the automatic Schiffli machine, yet another improvement on a clever invention.
These embroidery design machines were so efficient that the fruits of their labor were mistaken for hand-embroidery. As easily used at home as in a factory, a downstairs room of a suitable size would be needed to house the machine. If a machine embroidery business existed in a home, the entire family was usually involved in the process. Generally, the father would oversee the machine’s operation and the wife and children would thread the bobbins, tend to the thread, and so forth.
The simplicity and convenience of home sewing machines took a leap in 1911 when the Singer Sewing Company developed the first multi-head embroidery sewing machine, equipped with six heads and a pantograph attachment. In the 1950s, our growing knowledge of machines and technology increased and allowed such things as the simple sewing machine to advance and take on the more difficult and painstaking tasks of embroidery and other tedious pieces. It was during this decade that these embroidery machines exploded upon the market, increasing the sale of licensing rights and mass merchandising, which opened up the market for the demand of factory-based embroidered items. It’s commonplace today to see smaller versions of these embroidery sewing machines used every day worldwide. Some of the larger embroidery machines feature up to thirty different heads, though most everyday jobs require only the smaller machines.
With our expanding knowledge of machines and technology, we have been able to create and re-invent many household items to help simplify ones everyday life and the sewing machine was no exception. Higher-end sewing machine models were developed for the home, and often feature a hoop attachment and an embroidery stitch mode to ease the strain of tedious hand stitching. These new models certainly helped, but the still had some kinks that needed to be ironed out. For instance, many crafters and seamstresses who would use this feature were frequently frustrated by having to constantly change out the different thread colors, thus impeding their progress. Today's advanced embroidery sewing machines however have learned from their predecessors’ mistakes and have adapted a unique feature, single or multi-heads, for different spools of thread. The best part is that they are as easily available to you, the home seamstress, as they are to a large garment factory with many employees. Many people have followed the boom of the demand for machine-embroidered items. They can be easily created in small home-based businesses with affordable, easy-to-use, computer-operated embroidery sewing machines that do not require a lot of room. Many specialized attachments are sold that allow for embroidery to be added to a variety of products and fabrics. They even allow for the addition of sequins and other fancy enhancements, so you can give all of your projects that something special.
It’s easy to see how machine embroidery gained popularity as families looked for new ways to enjoy this fun and rewarding hobby. Why not take a moment right now to browse our original machine embroidery designs? The perfect one for you is sure to be here! If you have any questions or do not see the design you want, contact us. We’ll be happy to help!
